April 16, 2006
FRANKLIN, Tenn. - With birdie putts from both Maria Martinez and Margaret Shirley on the 18th hole, the Auburn women's golf team captured its sixth SEC Championship title with a one-stroke win over Tennessee Sunday at the par 72, 6,217-yard Ironhorse Course at the Vanderbilt Legends Club.
"This win wasn't easy," head coach Kim Evans said. "It came down to the last two holes for us throughout the entire tournament. I couldn't be prouder of Margaret and Maria's putt on 18 was incredible. Everyone chipped in for the victory and this was their goal. Tennessee played consistent throughout the tournament and today they played a round that should have won it, but somehow, we muscled through it."
The Tigers finished the three-day tournament with an 11-over (300-282-293--875), followed by Tennessee at 12-over (301-287-288--876), Georgia in third at 21-over (301-285-299--885), Vanderbilt finished fourth at 23-over (303-287-297--887) and Arkansas rounded out the top five at 33-over (304-297-296--897).
Martinez claimed Auburn's first individual SEC title since 2000, when Danielle Downey captured the win for the Tigers. Her three-round score of 211 is the lowest total ever for an Auburn player in the SEC Championship. Auburn has now had five individual SEC titles.
As the only Auburn senior, Martinez fired a three-day total of 5-under (73-68-70--211). Shirley finished third overall, the highest finish of her career with a 1-over (77-69-71--217). Auburn's other finishers were Jessica Lovell in a tie for 16th at 7-over (76-71-76--223), Abigale Schepperle finished tied for 30th firing a 12-over (74-78-76--228) and Nicole Hage finished 34th at 13-over (78-74-77--229).
With Auburn's one-stroke victory over Tennessee and their playoff win over Georgia in 2005, the Tigers now own all four of the SEC Championship's closest victories.
Auburn will now wait to see where it will be sent for the NCAA Regional Championships. Last season, the Tigers win the NCAA Central Region in Lubbock, Texas. The regions will be announced Monday, May 1.